To the editor:

Kirby Schmidt was a gift to our community during his fantastic career at Marshall High School.

He was a diligent and dedicated student in the classroom, a fierce and successful competitor in speech, a talented and incredibly hard working performer in theatre, and a dynamic leader in FFA.

He is truly a “Native Son” of Marshall, Minnesota.

But, all of his accomplishments at Holy Redeemer and Marshall High School pale in comparison to his letter in Saturday’s Independent.

I was one of Kirby’s teachers many years ago.

On Saturday morning, while reading the paper at my kitchen table, I realized that I had become his student.

And so, I am joining Kirby in donating to the Trevor Project to honor the pain propagated by poisonous rhetoric published in this space about LGBTQ+ people in recent years.

I’m proud of you Kirby, and I thank you for challenging me to do more.

You have dared me to believe that a debate about a flag in your hometown might lead more people to consider the challenges you faced in your journey through the lens of your Christ-like closing statement: “Love them first.”

A+

Dan Smith

Marshall